Come Back To Me
by ee-ii-ee-ii-oo
Summary: "As if on reflex, his eyes were pulled toward her. What he saw when he turned broke his heart even more than she had when she left." Answers the question: What would have happened if Juliette had decided to work with Howie V? Starts at the end of episode 2.15, minus the scene where Glenn came back to work for Juliette. Final chapter posted!
1. Chapter 1

**Come Back To Me**

I own nothing. That's ABC and Callie Khouri's deal.

I was re-watching 2.15 and couldn't help but ask myself the question what would have happened if Glenn hadn't responded to Juliette's call and she had decided to work with Howie V. How would that have affected her and Avery? It's pure angst, with a side of romance ... maybe ...

This will be a short story ... only 3, maybe 4 chapters. Let me know what you think in the Review section.

* * *

It was as if the atmosphere changed. He knew that she had just entered the room, without even turning to face the grand entrance to the massive ballroom. If he hadn't felt it in the deepest part of his soul, the fact that the couple standing beside him stiffened and their eyes went slightly wide would have given it away.

He knew he shouldn't turn. He should just call it a night and head up to his room without even glancing in her direction. But as if on reflex, his eyes were pulled toward her. What he saw when he turned broke his heart even more than she had when she left. A shell of the woman he knew ... the woman he loved once, still ... was working the party like a pro.

The silver mini dress she wore left little to the imagination, and what was showing was nothing but skin and bones. How she had wasted away to almost nothing in the past year was obvious, even to the few people hadn't seen the internet pictures of her at that party, certainly not the first, smoking God knows what, with that what's-his-face actor's hands all over her. She was not the same Juliette Barnes he had fallen in love with.

"Are you okay?"

The voice beside him pulled his eyes from her. Glancing over at Zoey for a brief second, he nodded, not even fully convincing himself that he was. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because she broke your heart a year ago," Gunnar piped in, his arm pulling Zoey slightly closer.

"I'm fine, man." He watched as she disappeared behind a silk room divider, both grateful and devastated to lose sight of her yet again.

* * *

_"Welcome back!" Avery whispered as he grabbed her hand and pulled her into the hallway in back of the main room of the Bluebird, away from the prying eyes of the audience as Deacon took the stage. Finally out of view, he leaned in, pressing his lips to hers. _

_"Missed you," she mumbled into the kiss. _

_"I missed you too," as he came up for air. "How was the trip?" _

_She stepped back and leaned against the wall. "It was ... weird." _

_He could tell that something was on her mind. She looked as though she wanted to cry, but she fought it. It tugged on Avery's heart and he had to push a little bit. "What's wrong? You're upset about something?" _

_"Just confused. Glenn quit." _

_"What?!" _

_Juliette nodded. "Yeah. One minute I was talking to him about the photo shoot, the next ... he had his luggage packed. I don't know what came over him." _

_"That doesn't sound like Glenn. Did someone say something to him?" _

_"I don't know." She fought back the small tears that rimmed her eyes. "Anyway ... whatever. I'm not going to worry about it now. I'll call him tomorrow and convince him that he has to come back." _

_"So how were things with Howie V?" he asked. He wasn't expecting to see her face light up when he asked the question. He had spent most of the day convincing himself that once she got there she would realize that she needed to be in Nashville. He was wrong. _

_"It was amazing Avery! I've never seen a studio so big and full of life. I still don't know what I'm going to do, but I could get used to all that." She could hardly hide her excitement. _

_He forced a smile and took her hand again. "Sounds exciting. And I want to hear all about it. But right now, I've got to go run the soundboard before Gunnar decides I owe him half my paycheck."_

* * *

"She's a mess." Avery hadn't even heard the head of his label approach. He turned to look at Rayna, who had the same sad expression on her face that he was pretty sure was on his own.

"Yeah," he said, finally turning back around to face her and his band mates. They could tell that he did not want to discuss it further and silently obliged him by changing the subject.

"I think it's just about time to call it a night. You guys have a big day tomorrow. Red carpet! Best New Artist! Grammy performance! Did Glenn give you a call time for rehearsal?" He knew that Rayna wanted nothing more than to get him out of the room. She always wanted to fix things.

Zoey and Gunnar continued the conversation with her, as his eyes drifted back over to the dance floor where a large crowd had gathered around the tiny blonde drunkenly dancing with three equally intoxicated men. It made him nauseous, the disaster she had become.

He'd imagined it all, the house, the kids, the growing old together. But that was before.

* * *

_The soft candle light against the ivory walls of Juliette's master bathroom cast romantic shadows that danced with the soft guitar music playing on her ipod nearby. __Surrounded by bubbles, she leaned back into his arms, appearing more relaxed than she had been in a month. The peaceful feeling was broken by the sound of her phone buzzing against the counter top across the room. _

_"You need to get it?" he whispered in her ear. _

_"Nope," she said, shaking her head. "I know it's Howie again. I've already spoken to him twice today." _

_Avery sighed quietly, rolling his eyes. "That guy is relentless." _

_"He's making some good offers though."_

_The bad feeling in the pit of his stomach returned, just as it did every time the mega-producer came up in conversation. He couldn't help the overwhelming feeling that the guy was bad news. "Have you heard from Glenn?" _

_"Nope," she sighed. "He hasn't responded to one phone call or text. I don't think I will. I'm almost over it. Anyway, I don't want to talk about Glenn or Howie right now. It's kind of ruining the mood. Tell me about your day." _

_He laughed and pulled her tighter, fingers tickling her firm stomach. "Just the normal stuff. Did some writing with Gunnar, then the Bluebird. Oh, and my friend JT from back home called. Hadn't spoken to him in a while." _

_"Must be nice to have friends from childhood," she said sadly, as he pressed a kiss into her soft hair. She sighed and moved the conversation along. "So what did he call for?"_

_ "Well, he and his wife just found out that they're expecting a baby." __He laughed a little at the thought of the guy who had gotten kicked out of catholic school with him being a father. "He'll be a good dad. Wouldn't have ever thought said that before, but hearing how happy he sounds, I think he'll be great." _

_She looked over her shoulder at him, smile gracing her face. "You know what this means, right?" _

_"What?" he asked, not really sure what turn the conversation was about to take._

_"You have to buy them a baby gift," she said with a smirk._

_"Crap. What do you get a baby?" _

_She laughed at his complete ignorance. "What is it with men and baby gifts. The mere thought of it and you all go pale. I mean, I'm no expert, but if its a boy you buy something blue. Girl, something pink. It's not rocket science." _

_"Fine," he said, smiling at her. "You can come with me to shop." _

_"Ha!" she replied, unable to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. "Yeah, that's what my career needs. Another tabloid story with photos of me shopping in the baby section. Then I can be the shoplifting, engagement-breaking, homewrecking, atheist, unwed mother who sometimes sings for a living." He felt her give his hand a squeeze under the water. "Don't worry. I'll help you. We'll find something online." _

_The silence of the moment went on for a while. He knew he shouldn't even go there. He knew she might bolt as soon as the words came out of his mouth, but his curiosity kept him from remaining silent.__"Do you ever thing about it?" _

_"Think about what?" _

_He hesitated, not wanting to scare her. "I don't know. Having a baby one day."_

_She stilled in his arms. "I ... um ... honestly, I don't know. I've never thought I'd be very good at it. I mean, look at who I had as an example. I don't want to be her. But other times I see Rayna with Maddie and Daphne and part of me thinks that would be nice one day. I guess I'm open to it. What about you?" _

_He shrugged. "I guess I always thought I would. Not any time soon. But one day." _

_"You'd be good with them," she smiled. "You're patient. I mean, you a really good at dealing with me. I, on the other hand. would need to take lessons."_

_ "We'll let you shadow Rayna before it happens." _

_The both ignored the insinuation and laughed. "She'll love that!" She turned to face him pausing with her lips inched from his and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You know ... we aren't any where near that point, but that doesn't mean we can't practice for when we do decide that the time is right._

* * *

"You coming?"

He looked up to see Gunnar, watching him expectantly, as the ladies walked ahead toward the exit. His eyes darted back to the dance floor once more. She was there, mere steps from him but it might as well have been a million miles. His heart ached, wanting to go to her and shake her. To make her wake up and remember who she really was ... what they were together. But he wouldn't. Her silence had made it very clear what he was to her. "I think I'm going to take a walk. I need some fresh air."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I'll see you guys in the morning." His friend looked at him with concern in his eyes, but eventually nodded and jogged to catch up with his girlfriend and their boss.

Avery didn't turn back to look at her again. He couldn't. Instead he walked through the lobby, hands shoved in his pockets, and made a beeline for the front door of the hotel. With his head down, he didn't see the older man until he had already run into him.

"Avery, you okay?" He looked up to see his manager watching him.

"Sorry, Glenn. I, uh, was just going out to get some fresh air. The others already went upstairs."

"She showed up, huh?" Glenn couldn't hide his feelings about her any better than Avery could, emotion covering his face.

"Yeah."

The manager nodded, and began to walk toward the elevators. "Thanks for the warning."

Avery was left alone with his thoughts as he headed out onto the sidewalk, the weather colder than usual for LA, even in February. He pulled his leather jacket tighter around him as the wind bit at him taking him back to another cold winter's night more than a year ago.

* * *

_"You've been quiet tonight. Everything okay?" _

_They walked down the street hand in hand, a cold wind chilling them both to the core. The neon lights of downtown did little to brighten the darkness that surrounded them. The streets were unusually empty, probably due to the winter weather passing through the city. The dinner they had just had been ... different. He knew something was up. For the first time in the months they had been dating, he felt that Juliette wasn't being forthcoming with him. _

_"Yeah. I'm fine." _

_He moved in front of her, effectively stopping her in her tracks. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he made eye contact with her for the first time all evening. "Juliette, what is going on? You're not fine. Something's bothering you. I don't like to see you like this, so please. Talk to me." _

_"Avery ..." she shook her head an tried to look away. _

_But he was insistent. "Is it something I did?" _

_She looked back up at him. "No. Definitely not," she said softly. _

_"Then what is it." _

_She looked away, taking a deep breath, composing herself. "I made a decision...about the record deal in LA." _

_He could tell by the look in her eyes what that decision was. He dropped his hands and backed up a step. "You're taking it." _

_"It's my only option, if I'm going to have any kind of career, Avery. No one in Nashville wants anything to do with me." She paused. "I know you aren't crazy about the idea." _

_He shoved his hands in his pockets. "I never said that." _

_"I know." She moved a step closer to him. "You've been so supportive. But I can see it in your eyes." _

_He nodded, knowing that she could read him as well and he read her. "I just ... what happens to us?" _

_"Nothing happens!" she said quickly, fear appearing on her face. "We're still us. I still love you." _

_"But with you in LA? That's a long way, Juliette." _

_She reached out and grabbed his arm, desperate to maintain contact. "Then come with me." _

_"That's not a solution," he said, shaking his head. " My music is here. This thing I've got with Gunnar and Zoey has real potential. I haven't had that in a long, long time. Plus, you know how I feel about LA. It's not for me. And I really have trouble believing that it's you, either." _

_"Look Howie said ..." _

_That was his breaking point. For weeks he heard about what Howie thought about this and that. It had to stop. "So that's what this is about? What Howie said?! Don't you see what's happening? He's turning you into someone that you aren't." _

_He could see the defenses building up in her eyes. "Maybe I am this person," she said quietly. _

_"Will you listen to yourself?" He leaned down to look her directly into her eyes. "You're letting some guy you hardly know tell you that he is your only shot to get back on top. That's not true. You need to let your talent speak for itself. You are too good to waste your voice on the music he's going to force you to make." _

_He winced at the fire that suddenly appeared in her eyes. "And I should wait forever for that to happen?! That's hardly fair, Avery? You may be content to do that, But I'm not. I have to take this chance. This city is holding me back." _

_"Did Howie tell you that, too?" _

_Standing upright again, he rolled his eyes. "Maybe he told you that I'm holding you back too!" _

_He saw the confirmation in her eyes, though she continued to deny it. "You are unbelievable! I want to make this work. But you aren't making it easier. Please don't do this." _

_He looked up at the dark sky above, feeling defeated and unable to fight anymore. "When do you leave?_

* * *

He had walked blocks and somehow, he didn't really even remember how, he wound up back a the hotel.

The party had begun to wind down, and the lobby was quieter than it had been an hour before. He hurried over to elevators and stepped into the first one to open. He couldn't think of anything he wanted to do more than get up to his room and lock the door. Lock out all the memories that had washed over him since he had first laid eyes on her earlier in the evening.

When the tiny familiar hand slid between the closing doors, he decided that fate or whatever had it out for him.

"Hold the elevator." He couldn't help but notice that she her Alabama twang had reappeared in her drunken slurring state. Even Howie V couldn't control her that much in the shape she was in. She stumbled into the elevator, grabbing onto the wall for support, pushing seemingly random floors in an attempt to make it up to her penthouse suite. It took her a moment to realize that she wasn't alone, finally turning his direction. Makeup smeared, dress ripped slightly at the bottom scene, hair bleached ragged, it vaguely reminded him of a moment from their past, sitting on the General Jackson Showboat as she rambled on about how fairytales didn't exist. He believed her now.

Even as drunk as she was, she couldn't hide the shock on her face when she saw him. "You," she said, breathlessly.

"Me," he confirmed, working to remain stoic.

"What ... what are you doing here?"

"Same thing you are." He knew he shouldn't say any more, but the anger he'd kept at bay for 12 whole months couldn't remain hidden forever. He looked her up and down, disdain in his eyes. "Well, not exactly," he spat snidely. He hated himself for the venom in his voice.

"What is that supposed to mean?!" she shouted defensively.

He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "At least I can walk straight and didn't make a fool of myself in front of the entire music industry."

"Who the hell do you think you are to talk to me like that?" She tried to scold him, but that just resulted in her almost falling over. She grabbed the wall in time to catch herself.

His voice soften naturally as he saw the pain in her eyes. She was hurting. Even after all this time, he could still read her like a book. "I'm the same person I was a year ago. Who are you, Juliette? What happened to the girl I fell in love with?"

"That girl," she said with a scoff, small tears in her eyes belying her stone cold exterior, "doesn't exist any more. I had to get out of Nashville to get rid of her. That city was doing nothing but holding me back."

"You mean, I was doing nothing but holding you back?" he said, clearly remembering their similar conversation on that Nashville sidewalk.

"You said it, not me."

* * *

_He still dreamed about the look in her blue eyes the day she stopped by his apartment to say goodbye. "We'll talk" had been the last thing she had said to him. _

_He had stopped trying to call her after the second week. Stopped looking at his phone every waking moment after the first month. The second month he only looked when it rang, hoping it was her name on the screen. It never was. By the third month, he had resigned himself to the fact that it was over. It didn't stop his heart from hurting constantly. _

_The truth was that he missed her and he still loved her. It was evident to everyone around him. _

_Which made it that much more painful when he walked into Gunnar's place during the fourth month, only to find them staring and whispering about something on Zoey's iPad. __When they heard him set his guitar down, the couple jumped and frantically acted like everything was normal. He could instantly tell they were trying to hide something. _

_S__aying nothing he walked over and reached around Zoey to grab the device she was hiding behind her back. Gunnar and Zoey sat stiffly as he glanced at the screen. The TMZ website was covered with photos of her. Juliette, in short cutoff shorts and a revealing lace top, was walking down a chic LA street, arms around some guy that was apparently famous for something. Avery wasn't sure. All he knew was that it felt like a knife to his heart. It really was over. _

_Without a word, he handed the iPad back to his friend, turned, picked up his guitar and walked out the door. _

* * *

The elevator bell rang, signaling a stop at his floor.

She moved to the back of the elevator as he walked to the door, as if she wanted as much space between them as possible.

Before stepping off, he turned and held the door open. His voice was gentle when he opened his mouth. "I miss that girl. The girl who wanted nothing more than to be everything that her mother wasn't. I hope you find her again, before it's too late. Goodbye, Juliette." He turned away, knowing that she was frozen by his words. He hoped she would remember them in the morning.

* * *

**Let me know what you think in the Reviews!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Come Back to Me**

Still own nothing.

So, um, more Angst in this chapter (that capital A is on purpose). My nerves are shot from writing this. Enjoy!

Thanks for the reviews! I love that you guys are reading this!

* * *

Avery stood on the stage and looked out at the name cards in the seats in front of him. Bono was to the left. Lady Gaga to the right. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill directly in front of him. It should have made him nervous, but in the past year, the only place that he had really felt at home was on the stage. Yet still he was in awe. And he was grateful that Juliette was seated all the way on the other side of the arena. He wouldn't have to look at her while singing a song he wrote about her so long ago.

He looked over to see his band mates walking up the stairs to join him.

"Hey!" the young woman said with a smile as her boyfriend moved to grab his guitar. "Can you believe we are doing this?"

He nodded, small smirk playing on his lips. "Crazy, huh?"

Zoey looked out over the empty seats and Avery could see the moment that the reality hit her. "Holy crap. All those famous people are going to be staring at us in a few hours."

Gunnar had joined them and they all three stood there taking it all in. "We are not at the Bluebird anymore, folks."

"Nope."

* * *

_The Bluebird had cleared out after the final performer that night, but the sound of music still pierced the air. The trio was completely gelled together, sounding better than they ever had. It was only in moments like this that Avery felt human. Off stage, he was a mess. He was moving on, but every ounce of his being still missed her. The constant reminders of the woman he loved were all around him. On tabloid magazines, on every entertainment website, gossip columns. The joke inside the industry was who would Juliette Barnes be sleeping with next? Her exploits should have made it easier to be without her, but it only made him wish he had fought just a little bit harder to keep her from making these mistakes. It didn't matter now._

_As the song ended, the sound of clapping came from a dark corner of the room that they didn't know had been occupied. "That was awesome, y'all!" Rayna Jaymes walked toward them, huge smile on her face. "If I'd have know that the after-show show was this good, I would have stayed later months ago."_

_Gunnar, stepped off the stage first and shook the legend's hand first. "What are you still doing here?"_

_"Well, a friend told me that I needed to hear you guys. My girls are with their dad, so I thought I'd hang out and see what he was talking about."_

_They all knew she was talking about Deacon. He had been their biggest cheerleader since he walked in on them working through Avery's song at Gunnar's place._

_"Sit down with me." They did as they were asked. "So. In Scarlett, I have a girl singer on my label. I just signed Deacon. Now all I need is a band. You guys are the best band I've heard in a long time. Those harmonies ... amazing. What would you think about signing a deal with Highway 65?"_

* * *

"Morning, guys!" Rayna's cheerful voice grabbed their attention as she walked up to them from backstage, Glenn following closely behind her. "Are you totally freaked out by the view?" she asked, pointing out to the empty room.

"Oh, yeah!" Zoey responded enthusiastically.

The show's director walked up, filling them in on the details, telling them that they'd get started in a few minutes. Zoey and Gunnar moved over to their mics and testing out their ear monitors.

Avery looked over to see Rayna standing in place, staring at him silently.

"What?"

Rayna moved close enough to talk to him without the others hearing. "You okay? After last night?"

He knew that she could tell how shaken up he had been. Despite their rocky relationship, Rayna and Juliette had come to an understanding before Juliette had left. The older woman worried about both of them, and he appreciated it. "I'm good."

"Promise?"

He shot her a look that clearly said, 'back off, I'm fine.' She smiled and raised her hands up in surrender. As she joined Glenn in the front row, Avery knew she was worried about him, but he really was fine. He didn't have a choice. He had lay in bed throughout the sleepless night and come to terms that his goodbye to Juliette in the elevator was more than likely pretty final. He knew that eventually he'd have to move on, but he wouldn't push it, and when the time came, he wouldn't compare other women to that girl that disappeared into the LA night.

* * *

_It was the second radio call-in they had done that morning. Some small market station in Washington State. The call started out normally enough, talking about the single and working with the legendary Ms. Jaymes, and how they got there start singing together. None of them saw it coming before it happened._

_"So Gunnar, you've had quite a bit of luck with song writing," the overly stylized voice of the DJ said, through the speakers. "You hit number one with 'Ball and Chain' a few months back and now 'What if I Was Willing' by Will Lexington is sitting at Number 3 and looks like it will top next week's charts. That's got to feel good!"_

_Gunnar nodded, then realized that nodding didn't help on the radio. "Yeah, it's exciting. Will's a good buddy of mine, so I'm really happy that he's having this kind of success. It's really cool to be a part of it."_

_"And Avery, you've got a few big time credits to you're name too." Everyone in the room stilled, eyes wide and glued to the man in question. They knew what was coming, and so did he. And there was no way to stop it. "You produced Deacon Clayborne's 'Live at the Bluebird' record which is killer. And Juliette Barnes' had a hit with a song you co-wrote called 'Dreams', and we understand that you also co-wrote the song she sang at her Opry induction."_

_There was a pause, and it was obvious to all who could hear that the DJ was fishing for a story. Before the pause got too awkward, Avery responded. "I ... did."_

_"Kind of controversial. You two must have been close. Have you been keeping an eye on her as she tries her hand at the pop world over in LA? Do you talk to her at all? Because she's been all over TMZ in the past few months. With the DUI coming last week, how do you feel about all of that?"_

_Unsure about how to respond, he looked up to Rayna, who looked both furious and apologetic at the same time. There was no way to help him at this moment of live radio. He took a breath and answered as diplomatically as he could. "I .. um ... you know, I think she's living life her way. I hope she is taking care of herself."_

_"So you haven't spoken to her lately?" The DJ was relentlessly pursuing the line of question. Avery refused to give in._

_"No." he fought to keep the irritation out of his voice._

_"And we're getting the signal that we are out of time, so thanks guys for calling in. The name of the single is "Ain't Leaving Without Your Love" and it's racing up the charts. You guys are going to have a number one of your own real soon."_

_As soon as the call ended, Avery pushed his chair out and stalked out of the room. Rayna, Bucky and Glenn were immediately in crisis management mode. "Bucky, call ahead to the next two stations and tell them that they are only going to have Zoey and Gunnar for the interview. Then call the stations after that and let them know that if they bring up anything about Juliette Barnes, we will stop the interview right then and there and hang up."_

_"What do I tell the first two about him," her manager and business partner asked._

_"I don't know," she said, exasperation dripping from her words. "He's running late or something. Make it up."_

_Bucky nodded and was immediately on his phone._

_Rayna turned to the band's manager. "Glenn, you stay here with these two and go over diffusion tactics. I'll be back in a few minutes."_

_Not exactly sure where he had gone, she finally found him sitting in a chair overlooking her pool. She walked up and sat down on a table in front of the chair. They sat there in silence for a minute. "Hey."_

_He pulled his eyes from the pool and looked her in the eyes. She saw nothing but pain and frustration there. "How did we not know that was going to happen?"_

_"It was my job as your label head to protect you, and I didn't," the redhead shrugged. "I just assumed that since they have barely spoken her name on the air in months, that the radio stations wouldn't even go there. I was wrong. I am sorry."_

_Shaking his head, he stood and walked over to the pool and stared at his reflection on the water. "No. It's not your fault. I should have expected it too. You can't protect us from everything."_

_"I can try." Rayna ran her fingers through her hair, watching him closely. "We are making sure those questions don't come up, but you don't have to do anymore interviews if you don't want to."_

_"I'll be fine," he said, glancing back in her direction so that she could see the commitment to the project in his eyes._

_She moved to join him next to the pool. "You still miss her don't you."_

_"I know I shouldn't," he confirmed, as a sigh escaped from his lips. "Not with all the problems she's having right now. But I still want to fix her. Help her. Make her see that she is so much better than what she's become. And I can't. Or I want to be able to move on. To forget her. But I can't do that either."_

_"I know what that feels like," Rayna said, eyes growing distant and seeming to look back in time. "The wanting to fix someone, knowing that you can only do so much. Feeling helpless. It's not easy. But you have to. No matter how much it hurts. Sometimes it comes back around. But it may not. That's part of the danger of giving your heart away completely._

_"You know what's really sad?" He looked up into her eyes. "Even if I had known what was going to happen, I still would have done things the same."_

_Rayna nodded, understanding completely._

* * *

It was when they started the third run through of their hit debut single that the trio on stage noticed a change in the crew's demeanor. The first sign of trouble was a college-age intern darting into the room through back of the arena. The kid was out of breath when he got to the director. He whispered something in the older man's ear. The director's eyes went wide and he immediately pulled out his cell phone and disappeared back stage.

Avery, Gunnar and Zoey exchanged looks as they sang and watched as the news of something big spread from one side of the enormous room to the other. It eventually made its way to Rayna and Glenn, via a production assistant. Glenn went pale and immediately sat in the closest seat, which contained JLo's place card, and Rayna's eyes were suddenly glued to Avery.

He felt his blood run cold as they finished the song. Something was very, very wrong. Before they knew what was happening, their label head and manager had ushered them into a dressing room backstage.

"What is going on? Was there a bomb threat?" Gunnar asked, tightly gripping Zoey's hand.

"No," Rayna said, eyes meeting Avery's. "Um ... hotel security found Juliette in her room this morning. She ... um ... she overdosed. They've taken her to Ceadars. She's on life support."

"Oh my God!" he heard someone, maybe Zoey, say but it didn't register. Everything sounded muffled, as if he were under water. All he could comprehend was the pounding of his heart in his chest. The others around him were still talking, but nothing made any sense. He felt frozen.

"Avery!" He snapped back to attention at Glenn's voice. Looking up, he saw a mirror of emotion in the older man's eyes. "We've got to get you out of here now. There are about forty reporters in the arena and there's going to be about 4,000 outside once word spreads. Everybody knows that you two were close. They'll want comment."

Rayna nodded. "Get with security and get a car to the loading dock in the back. It's a restricted area for the press. They'll still get photos of the car leaving, but hopefully not too many shots inside. Do we know if they are making any changes to the show itself?"

Glenn shook his head, already on his phone taking care of business, though the worry for his former boss was still evident.

Avery sat motionless on a chair, trying to make sense of it all. Just hours earlier, he had resigned himself to moving on. Now, with the possibility of losing her permanently looming over him, his heart broke all over again.

* * *

_Watching the who's who of the Nashville music industry mix and mingle around the legendary venue, Avery leaned against the bar, nursing a beer in silence. He watched as Zoey and Gunnar chatted with a radio programmer. Rayna, talked to Bucky and the sound guy making sure that everything was set for the evenings festivities. Deacon laughed in the corner with a songwriter buddy of his near the front door._

_This room held so many memories for him ... for them. He remembered seeing her there a time of two with Deacon, before they had really met. And she had thrown the older man a birthday party there, not that he had been invited. It was where she had fixed their friendship after their first fight and offered an olive branch in the form of a studio key. The sound booth was where he held her hand as they watched Deacon on stage recording his album right after they had gotten together. And up on stage is where she first heard him sing the song she inspired. The song that had gain the band success, long after she left. It was the song they were there to celebrate._

_"Hey, Avery!"_

_A voice pulled him from the memories and back into reality. Looking up, he saw Deacon walking over to him. "Deacon. Hey, man."_

_The pair shook hands as Deacon patted him on the shoulder. "Nice party. Tried calling you earlier to congratulate you on the nomination too, but it said your voicemail was full."_

_"Thanks. I had to turn my phone off completely. Damn thing wouldn't stop ringing," he said with a sarcastic chuckle._

_"Anyone interesting?" Deacon asked, and Avery knew exactly what the older man was asking._

_"Nope."_

_Nodding, Deacon looked down at the younger man, clearly seeing the intense look on his face. It was obvious that he was still hurting and Deacon wondered if the kid would ever be able to move on. "You know she's going to be there. What are you going to do?"_

_Avery shrugged. "Staples Center is a big place. I think I can avoid her for one night. I hope so anyway."_

_"Hey guys!" Rayna said walked up to Deacon and Avery with Gunnar and Zoey in tow. "Sorry to interrupt, but I think it's just about time to thank everyone for coming. Deacon, excuse us."_

_The three bandmates followed their label chief to the stage as Rayna gracefully stepped up to the center microphone._

_"First of all, I just want to say thank you to everyone of you for being here at The Bluebird for another Highway 65 number one party," Rayna said from the stage. "It's very fitting that we are having a party for these guys at the place that brought them together in the first place. Personally, I first heard Zoey, Gunnar and Avery play this song on the very stage where I am standing. And it was just as great then as it is now hearing it on the radio. And it will sound just as good when they are singing it on the stage next month at the Grammys, where we just found out this morning that these guys are nominated for Best New Artist!"_

_Cheers and applause and glasses were raised at Rayna's words._

_"Now I want to bring up the man who, no only sang, but also wrote and produced the song "Ain't Leaving Without Your Love." Avery Barkley."_

_Forcing a smile to his face, he took Rayna's place at the microphone._

_"Thank you everybody. I ... would rather be singing at a mic, than talking at one, so I'll keep this short." He turned to look at his label head. "I have got to thank Rayna first. We could not have asked for a more perfect fit for a record label. You have taken us under your wing with grace and integrity and I know that all three of us have learned so much from you. Glenn, our manager. I've known you for a long time, through good and bad times. This band wouldn't be what it is today without you on board. Deacon, you have always been our biggest cheerleader and we are grateful to have you in our corner._

_"And finally Zoey and Gunnar. When I wrote the song, I knew it was a decent song, but it needed something. Needed more. Your voices made it what it is. I can't take all the credit. I just put some words together. What we did together was give it life. So thank you. You guys are the best and I'm so glad we are going on this journey together." Avery turned his attention back to the audience. "So many times at these things, songwriters tell the story behind the song, but I think in this case, the song should just speak for itself ... so, Gunnar, Zoey, how about we just play it."_

_He was avoiding the topic and everyone in the room knew it. But it didn't matter. He had diffused the tension perfectly and soon the entire room was enthralled by the trio's acoustic performance of the song. He just wished his heart would stop hurting every time he sang the words he wrote._

* * *

They had made the decision quickly. As much as they had wanted to perform on the show, it just didn't seem right. To any of them. As it was, Avery had spent the entire day pacing aimlessly around Rayna's suite as they watched the media frenzy on CNN. On the couch, Zoey sat extra close to Gunnar and Deacon, had been on a plane on his way out when he got the news, sat on the armrest of Rayna's chair.

Twice the news anchor had falsely announced Juliette's death, only to retract the announcement shortly thereafter. Each time, Avery felt a little piece of himself die inside.

After several hours, about the time they would have been starting their trek down the red carpet, Glenn finally managed to get through to Howie V. The look of relief when he finally got some answers out of the mega-producer, made Avery relax for the first time in hours. "She's improved enough for them to take her off the ventilator," he reported after he ended the call. He smiled at Avery."She's going to be okay."

Everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief. Choking back his emotions, Avery quietly excused himself and walked outside to the terrace that overlooked Beverly Hills. Looking down on the chic boutiques and eateries, he placed his hands on the railing and tried to compose himself, taking a few deep breaths before giving into his emotions.

The tears came in sobs as he realized how futile his plan to move on had been. No matter what she did, how she acted out, he would always be in love with that girl who showed up at his door with pink macaroni and a confession. He would never believe that she had truly become what she pretended to be. He had seen her eyes in the elevator. Somewhere deep down, she was still his Juliette. And he had almost lost her forever.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I'd love opinions on this chapter too! Review below! Only 2 more chapters left.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Come Back To Me**

Nope, still don't own it!

This chapter is a different narrative style. No flashbacks. There were no real Avery/Juliette moments in the last chapter, but this one is literally all Juliette and Avery and their first real conversation in over a year. I felt I owed it to y'all! Enjoy and let me know your thoughts. One more chapter after this and it will be a happy one! (We all deserve it after this downer of a story!)

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He entered the sterile white building and checked in at the front desk as he had been instructed. The middle age woman at the front desk smiled at him as though she recognized him as she handed him a visitors pass and told him to take a seat. It was the part of success that he would never get used to.

As he waited, his mind was racing. When he received the call from a woman who said she was Juliette's counselor, he felt his heart momentarily stop with the fear that something terrible had happened. He had felt a wave of relief wash over him when she had explained that Juliette was to a point in her treatment where she was ready to start mending fences, and his name was the first one on her list.

The week between the call and his flight out to California had been torture, a constant exercise in keeping his imagination from running rampant. He found himself repeatedly reminding himself that it was just one of 12 steps that she had to take. She wasn't in any frame of mind for anything other than a conversation. He knew that they would never be the same. But he missed her none the less.

He was suddenly aware of a pair of tiny tennis shoes about three feet away. He looked up and couldn't help the breath that caught in his throat. Standing in front of him, wearing jeans and a loose fitting plaid button down, blonde hair in a messy ponytail, was the young woman he thought was gone for good.

"Hey," she said, a small smile on her face.

He stood, walking closer. "Hey." For a moment they just stood there looking at each other. She looked like herself, having gained back most of the weight she had lost and without the dark circles under her eyes. He finally broke the silence. "You ... look great, Juliette."

"Thanks," she replied shyly, looking down at her feet. "Better than the last time you saw me, at least."

He shoved his hands in his pants pockets, nodding. "You remember that, huh?"

A look he couldn't quite identify passed over her face. "Come on, let me show you around." It felt odd to him, even after more than a year, walking beside her, not touching her. But she kept her arms folded over her chest as she showed him the cafeteria, her room that she shared with a roomate, the gym where they could work out some of their frustrations and the chapel, making small talk all the while.

He followed her as they exited the building and headed across a yard toward a small pond. "It's not the Ritz, but it's been good. Better for me than one of those five-star spa rehab facilities would have been," she admitted to him. "Howie wanted me to go to one of those."

"What changed your mind?"

She couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her lips. "That's how I got into trouble in the first place. Doing what he told me to do." Her eyes got distant as she continued. "I knew I couldn't do this for anyone but me. A friend suggested this place."

They approached a wooden bench and she motioned for him to have a seat.

"How are you doing?" he asked, relived that she physicially looked much improved, but still unsure about her emotional well being. It was what worried him the most in the three months since she overdosed.

She stood in front of him, appearing slightly nervous. "Honestly, I feel better than I have for a very long time. Since before I left Nashville. That's why I wanted you to come. I ... owe you an apology."

He shook his head, not wanting her to do this to herself. "No you don't."

"I really do." She sat down on the bench, as far to the other end as she could comfortably sit. "I realize now that Howie didn't want me. He wanted someone he could manipulate. Make me into what he wanted me to be. I played right into his hand. And it almost killed me. If I had listened to you..."

"Juliette, don't..." he said in almost a whisper. He could tell that this was painful for her and he didn't want her to go though anymore pain. She'd been through enough of that in the last year. They both had.

"Avery, please. I have to get through this. Just let me." In her eyes, he saw a spark of the determined woman he used to see constantly. It gave him hope.

"Go ahead," he said, gesturing for her to continue.

"From the time I made my decision to the moment I got on to that plane, I knew in my gut that it was the wrong choice. I knew I had no clue how to be the person that Howie wanted me to be. But he convinced me that my career would be bigger than ever." She stood again and began to pace slightly. "I got stars in my eyes that blinded me from the truth."

"When I got to LA, he just kept showering me with gifts and introducing me to all of these people. I was in over my head." Pausing, she matched his gaze and looked directly into his eyes. "And I knew you would be ashamed of me. That I'd lost any chance of your respect. And I did it to myself. I can't blame Howie for the choices I made. He could tell I was lonely, so he made sure that I got seen with the "it guy" of the moment. It was the second guy number two who always had pills with him. Convinced me to take some."

"My brain was telling me that I was turning into Jolene. My heart was telling me that you would never pressure me into something like that. It was downhill from there. Any guy I could get my hands on, who could get his hands on something to make the pain go away was the flavor of the moment."

"I'm not proud of any of it. I'm completely embarrassed by the photos. I looked at them and had no clue who that girl was." She looked down at her hands, shoulders slumped, and he could see the shame that wholly encompassed her small frame."Then I couldn't help but think about you seeing them and it hurt even more. I never meant to hurt you. I was just too ashamed to call you. So I owe you so many apologies. If I listed them all, you'd be here way past visiting hours. But I need you to know that I am so sorry. For everything. I hope one day you can forgive me."

They sat in silence for what seemed like forever. He could feel her watching him for a response.

"I'm not going to sit here and tell you that it didn't feel like a knife to my heart everytime I saw one of those damn photos," he finally said, voice quiet and filled with emotion. "I knew it wasn't you, not really ... but it still hurt like hell. Everytime something good happened in my life, I wanted to call you. But I couldn't. I missed my friend. I was really afraid that she wasn't coming back. Then the night of the Grammys ..." his voice drifted off and he looked away. "I felt like it was my fault. After what I said to you."

She moved closer to him, urgency in her eyes. She looked as though she wanted to reach out and touch him, reassure him, but she held it back."Don't ever think that. If anything, that was a wake up call. I got back up to my room and all I could think about was how you were right, as usual. Then I saw myself in the mirror and realized how impossible it would be to get back to the person I wanted to be. How deeply I had dug myself into a hole. And it hurt. I didn't want to feel that, so I took whatever I could find to numb the pain."

"Next thing I know," she said, biting her lip as she recalled the memory, "I'm waking up in ICU at Ceadars. The first person I saw was Howie and all he could talk about was how the next album would be a huge comeback album and how we could take over the Grammys the next year ... it was awful." Avery saw tears forming in her eyes, but she faught through them. "All I wanted was some human contact. Someone to tell me everything would be okay. And he was already thinking about new music. I have never felt more alone. The day I got out, I went to his studio and asked him how much it would be to get me out of my contract. He told me the number and I immediately had a lawyer draw up the check. Then I came here. Because I don't want to be my mother ... but I almost was." She sighed as she wiped a single tear from her cheek.

He nodded and pushed back the urge to wrap his arms around her. He knew that it wasn't the time, but it took every thing in his being to restrain himself. "So what now?" he asked as they watched a group of ducks swimming across the pond.

"I've got to get my life back together." She smiled a bit and looked down at her hands. "Away from the spotlight. There is too much temptation in LA and the only place I've really ever considered home was Nashville. But I'm not going back there if it will be a problem for you," she said, glancing back over at him. "I've been reading about you guys online. You've got a good thing going and I don't want to mess it up. I already feel like I did a little bit. You guys should have been at the show to accept Best New Artist. I runied that for you."

"No you didn't," he reassured her.

But she continued without acknowleging his words. "Truth is, I don't care about anyone else's opinion, but if you don't want me in town, I won't go. I'll go back to Alabama. Or buy some land in Monta-"

Finally giving in to a point that he thought she could handle, he softly touched her cheek and made her look at him. "Juliette, you belong in Nashville. It's where you are at your best, remember?" She flinched slightly at the human contact and remained silent. "I want you to come back."

"Avery, I'm not asking you -"

"I'm offering. I want to be there for you. As a friend. Who knows you better than I do? Nobody knows what the future holds, but I want to help you through it. I miss you."

A familiar look crossed her eyes, and she smiled at him again. "Okay."

* * *

You knew I couldn't let the angst last forever ... super cute fluffy final chapter coming up next, just for balance! Review!


	4. Chapter 4

Come Back To Me

Still own nothing.

This is the final chapter, and it's a long one. That wasn't the plan, but it kind of wrote itself. It's sweet and happy and devoid of any of the super sad stuff from the previous 3 chapters. Also, a disclaimer: I know not everyone is a Zoey fan, but in this story, they just kind of work. So go with it... So enjoy the fluffy goodness and please let me know what you thought in the reviews. I am loving all the comments so far.

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Her bare feet were cold against the wood floor.

Juliette stood in front of the large mirror and stared at the image before her. Gone was the child who lived in the dirt, gone was the girl who was on top of the world and expected it all, gone was the young woman who allowed herself to be manipulated by Howie V. In her place was a woman who had taken a journey, hit rock bottom, and managed to survive. A woman who could stand on her own two feet, treat people with dignity and still be successful.

It was the person that, deep in her soul, Juliette had always wanted to be. The best version of herself.

As she looked at her reflection she ran her hands down the soft fabric of her dress as it cascaded over her curves. She smiled as she moved her hands over her stomach, thinking of everything the future could be.

Taking a deep calming breath, she walked over to the mahogany dresser nearby and picked up the string of pearls. She ran her fingers over the silky beads, fighting the memories that threatened to come to her mind. She had given them to her mother for her birthday only weeks before her death. Truth be told, she hadn't put any thought into the present. She just sent Emily out to pick something up.

"Wish you were here, Mama," she whispered with regret, as she struggled with the clasp.

Determined to not let that thought dampen the day, she took one more look in the mirror and smiled. Pulling a white flower from the vase on the dresser, she placed it amidst the blonde waves framing her face.

She had never been more ready for ... or more certain about ... anything in her life.

* * *

_The lyrics just weren't quite right, and Juliette was afraid writer's block might be setting in. Looking around the label's writing room for inspiration, her eyes locked on him leaning against the doorway. She hadn't heard him walk up, but she couldn't contain the smile on her face when Avery's eyes met hers._

_"Hey! When did you guys get back?" she asked, setting her notepad aside, curling her legs up underneath her._

_"Bus just pulled in." He sat on the other end of the sofa, but turned to face her._

_She could tell he was exhausted from the three-week stretch of the band's tour of the midwest, but he was still just as handsome as he had been the first time they met. "How were the shows?" She wouldn't admit to anyone how much she had missed him this time. Not even herself._

_"Pretty good," he said, a laugh playing on the words. "There was just one minor issue in Minneapolis when Zoey almost threw up on stage."_

_Juliette gasped, eyes getting wide. "Oh no! I thought she was past the mourning sickness?"_

_"Apparently not entirely. She got off stage just in time, then walked it off and got right back in front of the mic. She's a trooper," he noted, shaking his head with seeming amazement._

_"That is impressive. I applaud the girl ... for that and the fact that she's 5 months pregnant still walking around in stilettos. I haven't put on a high heel in months. I may not ever again, quite frankly. I like this new found freedom."_

_They laughed as he moved slightly closer to her. "It's working for you."_

_She blushed a bit under his stare. In the six months she'd been back in Nashville, they'd become even closer friends, much like they had been right before they started dating. She'd been staying under the radar, having quietly signed a deal with Highway 65. He'd been touring arenas with the band, but they spent a good bit of the time he was home together. And she had become close friends with his bandmates._

_Time seemed to freeze as he leaned in slowly, seemingly gauging her reaction as he moved closer. She knew she should turn, but for months all she had wanted, dreamed about, was to feel his lips against hers again. So for a moment, she gave in and let herself just be in the moment as he kissed her._

_The touch of his fingertips against her cheek pulled her back to reality._

_She backed away, placing a hand on his chest. "Avery, wait."_

_He looked both disappointed and apologetic as he backed away. He knew he had crossed a line that she was not prepared for._

_"I'm sorry," she whispered, looking away from him. "It's just my counselor said it's not a good idea to get involved in a relationship in the first year of sobriety. And ... as much as I want to finish that kiss right now, I need to stick with my plan."_

_When her eyes moved back up to his, she saw the care and understanding there, and it reminded her of the reason she fell in love with him in the first place. "I know. I'm sorry. I just lost my mind for a minute."_

_She shook her head. "Don't apologize. I wanted it as badly as you did." She took a deep breath. "Look, think both know where this is going. We can't start over, but we can start something new. I just have to ... have this year for me. After that, I'm all yours."_

_"A year, huh?" He ran a hand over his chin and looked at her thoughtfully. "Okay, so that means that the Grammys will be a year, right?"_

_"Yes," she said slowly, unsure of his train of thought._

_"So, will you be my date to the Grammys?"_

_She laughed as he wiggled his eyebrows at her. "You want to go public that fast?"_

_"The public knows you've been working with us. We had the song you co-wrote on the album. We could easily walk the carpet together and no one be the wiser. Plus, you said Rayna wants to use that week to announce your deal," he reminded her._

_Rolling her eyes, she smiled comfortably back at him. "Fine. I'll be your date."_

* * *

She looked up at the sound of a knock on the door. The door opened, allowing even more bright sunshine into the room. Glenn stuck his head inside tenatively, a smile on his face.

"You about ready?"

She took a deep breath and turned around to face her manager. "Yeah, I am."

It had taken a while to repair their relationship after she got back to Nashville. Rayna and Avery made them go to dinner one night to see if they could make it work again. Her request for forgiveness had been met with a smile, and immediately their partnership had returned.

The man just looked at her for a minute, and she could tell that he was struggling for words. "My God, Juliette. You look beautiful," he said, finally, so many emotions filling his eyes.

Juliette sighed and grinned at him. "Glenn, don't start crying. Then you'll make me cry and I just did my makeup."

"Sorry." He walked over to her, pulling her into a hug. "I can't believe you are getting married. It seems like just yesterday I saw you at that fair. Now you are this beautiful mature woman who has her life together and who is marrying the man of her dreams."

She pulled back out of the hug and met the older man's stare. "Glenn, I couldn't have done it without you. You are the closest thing I've had to a father ... to a parent. Thank you."

He kissed her gently on her forehead and held out his arm to her. "Come on, let's get you married."

* * *

_It was surreal to Juliette to be back on this carpet, with so many major players wandering around, reuniting with old friends or making the next big deal. She hadn't been a part of this world for so long, it had become foreign to her. The last time she had been a part of it, she was just a shell of who she really was, a Barbie doll of Howie Vs making. Her nerves were slightly on edge, but she felt she was hiding it well from everyone around her._

_Almost everyone._

_"You okay?" she shivered slightly as she felt his hand pressed slightly against her back and his breath against her ear. To the photographers snapping pictures in front of them, it was nothing more than a friendly touch. But to them it held so much more promise of what was coming now that she had marked a year of sobriety._

_Looking up at him she smiled. "Yeah. I am. Now."_

_They continued to pose with Zoey and Gunnar, but Juliette knew there were whispers. No one had forgotten last year. She wasn't stupid. She knew the questions were coming and the media would be all over it by the end of the night. But she also knew she could handle it. The past year had been about finding herself and being comfortable in her own skin. She could answer the questions honestly and without shame._

_After finishing the photo line, Glenn herded all four of them to the media line. First up was a familiar face._

_"Hey guys!" Ryan Seacrest said, typically huge smile on his face. "There's four of you tonight ... which is unusual for a trio. Juliette, welcome back to the red carpet!"_

_She smiled genuinely. "Thank you."_

_Ryan looked down the line and gestured to the tall woman standing next to Juliette. "And by the looks of things, it could by five by the end of the night!" They all laughed as Gunnar affectionately rubbed Zoey's belly. "Any day now, right?"_

_"Well, we've got a few more weeks, but I'm ready for it," Gunnar said playfully._

_Zoey raised her eyebrows at him. "You are?!" Everyone laughed as Gunnar slumped a little bit at his wife's chiding._

_"Of course, you three won best new artist last year," Ryan continued his questioning at Avery. "This year you've got four nominations. That's got to feel fantastic."_

_"Yeah, this year has been a roller coaster and we are just excited to get to celebrate it tonight with each other," he said, looking at his bandmates before his eyes moved to the tiny blonde beside him "and with friends."_

_Ryan nodded and turned to Juliette. She knew what was coming and she was prepared. There was no way around it. "Now, obviously there is an elephant in the room. Juliette, how are you doing?"_

_"I'm great, Ryan," she said, smiling graciously. "Thank you for asking."_

_"We know you've kept a really low profile this past year, so what is it like for you to come back on this night and on this carpet considering everything that happened last year?"_

_"It's surreal, but it's been really good so far." She looked over at Avery for a second. "I'm here with friends that I trust and care about and there is no pressure for me tonight. I'm just here to have a good time and cheer these guys on. I can sit back and relax."_

_"That's great!" Ryan continued. "Are we going to get any new music from you anytime soon? Of course the announcement came out today that you are joining this great band on Rayna Jaymes' Highway 65 label."_

_A big smile made it's way to her face. "I have been working on some new stuff for the past six months or so. Got quite a few songs written, so I'm hoping to get back into the studio shortly." She pointed at Avery. "This guy's going to produce the album, so it should be a fun project."_

_"That sounds great! I can't wait to play something from the album! You all have a fun night tonight!"_

* * *

Glenn led her from the beautiful villa down the path to the secluded beach where the wedding was set up. It was simple. Their friends, the twenty or so people who were closest to them in the world, were scattered about in the sand on pristine white blankets.

Little Della, in her white princess dress, walked in front of them. Juliette and everyone else who was watching laughed as the child took handfuls of the peach flower petals and threw them up in the air, rather than down onto the make shift aisle. The result was petals blowing through the air like pastel snow. Juliette loved it. Eventually, the girl ran out of petals, frowned and ran over to her mother and father's blanket with a pout on her face.

From his seat on the blanket next to Rayna and her girls, Deacon played a soft tune on his guitar, the melody floating through the wind as the soundtrack to her walk to her future.

Finally, her eyes looked up and met his. Avery was standing under a bamboo arch that was topped with strips of white silk fabric blowing lightly in the coastal breeze off the clear turquoise water behind. Despite everything, she still couldn't help but think that this was a dream. Girls like her didn't get guys like him. Not for forever. And yet, the certainty in his eyes, the clarity on his face reassured her with no words spoken.

She couldn't hold back the huge smile on her face that mirrored the expression he wore. It hit her at that moment. This is what absolute peace really is, she thought to herself as he reached out his hand to her and they turned to face the minister.

* * *

_She bounced six-month-old Della Grace on her hip in time to the music coming from the stage. The child was bound to be a musician, already clapping in time to the drums. Juliette looked down at the stunning girl with the big brown eyes and smiled._

_Looking up, she caught Avery's gaze as he watched her holding Gunnar and Zoey's little girl and an emotion that she couldn't quite place appeared in his eyes, before he turned back to the audience. The crowd cheered as the song came to an end, and a stage hand brought out four stools as the three bandmates adjusted their microphones then sat on the stools._

_"It's a good night to be at the Opry, am I right?" Zoey said as the trio sat down._

_"We wanted to slow things down just a little bit," Avery nodded, as he did the same. "And we thought it would be a good opportunity to introduce you guys to a new song that should be hitting radio soon for a friend and labelmate of ours. She hasn't been here in a while, so please welcome her back, Miss Juliette Barnes."_

_Juliette handed little Della over Rayna, grabbed a mic and walked out on to the hallowed stage. She couldn't help but remember the last time she played there. Her induction. The fact that things went so wrong so soon after that scared her. She was afraid to go back to the place where she had made her troubles worse._

_But it didn't matter. It had been two years. People had forgotten, moved on, accepted her crash and burn as an opportunity for redemption. As the flashbulbs went off and the crowd cheered, she couldn't help the emotion that threatened to overcome her. But she looked across the stage at Avery, making eye contact that reassured her that she could do it._

_She took a seat on the stool between Zoey and Avery and addressed the crowd. "Thanks, y'all! It's been a while since I've been here. Thanks for welcoming me back." She looked over at her fellow singers. "Thanks for letting me crash the party up here, guys."_

_"When, these three asked me to join them on stage tonight to debut my new single, I was hesitant. Who wouldn't be, having to follow them, right? But after some convincing, I decided that there was no better way to sing this song than with them. They helped me out on the record so I hope you like it."_

_Avery played the first chord of the ballad, a brutallly honest song she had written on her own about redemption and the power of being true to oneself. As she sang the poingnant lyrics, backed by her friends, she knew people would know that it was autobiographical. She wasn't sure about what response would be, but everyone - Avery, Rayna, Glenn - knew that it had to be the first single. She didn't fight them on it._

_Singing the last note acapella, the silence in the room was deafening, until a roar from the crowd took its place. People got it and had accepted her back with open arms. She looked over at Avery and could tell that he knew she was fighting to keep her composure, tears beginning to fall._

_She waved to the crowd, on its feet. "Thank you so much, y'all!" she managed to choke out. Avery reached out a hand to help her off her the stool. She wasn't quite sure how it happened, but she found herself wrapped in his arms, his fingers wiping the tears from her face. Momentarily, they forgot where they were as he leaned into kiss her gently. While it wasn't a particularly intense kiss, it left little doubt to the public watching that the rumors they'd heard about the two were true._

_She laughed as she backed out of his grasp and waved again as she walked off stage._

_"So much for keeping things quiet about you two," Rayna whispered with a grin, Della now sleeping on her chest._

_All Juliette could do was shrug and smile at her mentor._

* * *

"Now, Avery and Juliette have written their own vows for the occasion. Avery..."

At the minister's urging, the couple faced each other, hands grasped tightly together. At that moment it was as if everyone else disappeared. It was just the two of them.

"Juliette, it's been said that love is a friendship set to music. I think that is especially true for us. We've weathered so many storms and had so many ups and downs along the way, and despite it all ... at our core is the true friendship that we unexpectedly found when we bumped into each other that night at the Opry." Juliette giggled slightly at the memory and she vaguely heard her guests laughing as well. "I am so grateful that you chose me to be your forever friend. You are the love of my life and I feel so blessed to be able to say that. And I will keep saying until the day my last breath leaves my body. I love you so much."

Unable to stop a few small tears from falling down her cheeks, she took a moment to compose herself. The feeling of her groom's fingers wiping them away gave her strength to say the words she'd practiced the night before.

"Avery. Someone told me a long time ago that all they wanted was to find the one person in this world who made them the best version of themselves. He was so right. It just takes some of us longer than others to achieve that." She worked steady her voice, with little success. "I know I'm not perfect. Far from it. More than once you were there when I needed saving. You picked me up and convinced me that I could be the best version of me. I don't know if I'm quite there yet, but I know with you beside me that I can continue to work toward that. You somehow made this girl who didn't believe love even existed open up her heart to the possibility. I love you more than I thought I ever could love someone."

As her words disappeared on the wind, he leaned his forehead against hers and pressed a gentle kiss to her nose, and she saw tears in his eyes too. For a moment they just stood in that place and time and nothing else in the world mattered.

* * *

_Just hours after her triumphant return to the Opry, Juliette found herself backstage, Avery pulling her by the hand._

_"I cannot believe you left your phone in the dressing room!" she said as they walked down the dark hall backstage at the Opry. "You're just lucky the janitor was still here."_

_He nodded, not really paying attention. "Uh huh."_

_"Are you even listening to me?" Juliette was tired and emotionally exhausted from her appearance earlier that night. All she wanted to so was go home to the house they bought two months earlier, maybe have a bubble bath then get in bed. She couldn't figure out why her typically completely together boyfriend was acting like this._

_Suddenly he moved in front of her and held up a hand. "Stop right there."_

_She halted with a start and raised an eyebrow at his strange behavior. "What?"_

_"Where are we?" he asked as he looked deep into her eyes._

_Her eyebrows crinkled as she looked around at the paneled walls of the long corridor. "Avery, what ..? You are not making any sense and you're acting weird."_

_He shook his head. "Humor me. Think about it. Where are you standing right this second?"_

_She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "I'm ... backstage in a hallway at the Opry ... where I've been a hundred times before?"_

_"Yes, but this spot in particular?" He pointed to the hardwood flooring beneath their feet, as if that was the key to this quiz he was posing on her at 1 in the morning. "Think about it."_

_For a moment she was silent and he could see her brain working overtime. It took her a few minutes, but he saw the moment where the lightbulb came on and her eyes widened. "This is where you ran in to me ... at the Watty White tribute."_

_"Well, some might say you ran into me, but ..."_

_She smacked him in the shoulder. "I did not!"_

_"Doesn't matter. What matters is that it happened." He placed his hands on her shoulders and took a deep breath. "On this very spot something life-changing happened. You barreled your way into my life and I have never been so glad to almost knock a girl down in my life."_

_She laughed but he could tell that she was beginning to catch on as to where this was going and he could only pray that she wouldn't bolt. They had settled back into a comfortable relationship. Better than it had been before everything happened, but she was still Juliette Barnes._

_"This is sacred ground to me, because it's where our story began. So, I think it's a good place to start the next chapter." He never broke eye contact as he knelt to the ground, pulling a velvet box from his jacket pocket. He watched as her eyes lit up and her jaw dropped as he opened the box. "Juliette, I love you. I want to spend every day for the next fifty or so years showing you just how much. Will you marry me?"_

_She immediately sank down onto his knee, her face inches from his. There were tears in both of their eyes. "You didn't really forget your phone did you?" He shook his head apologetically. "Yes, I'll marry you," she whispered, kissing him softly as the words echoed through the empty halls._

* * *

The small party was still going on outside the Villa when the newlyweds decided to sneak away for some time to themselves. From the water's edge they could hear guitars being played and songs being sung. The pair walked hand in hand as the waves barely washed against their feet.

"So, that was ... pretty perfect," Juliette said with a sigh, looking up at Avery.

He nodded. "I think so. I'm glad we did it this way. No paprazzi or craziness."

"Rayna said the marketing team at the label would send out the single photo and news release in the morning." She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Which means it will be all over the internet by lunchtime."

"But it's on our terms." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they continued walking. "And for the next twelve hours or so, it's our secret. I love you."

"That's good to know. You haven't told me that in the last 10 minutes. I was beginning to worry," she teased, leaning into him. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. "Did you think when you ran into me that night at the Opry that we'd ever be here?"

"Ha!" he laughed at the memory. "Not in a million years. And you ran into me."

An exasperated sigh fell from her lips. "I am not having this argument again."

He laughed again and they fell into a comfortable silence and just listened to the waves hitting the shore. "I guess things just work out how they are supposed to," he said, breaking the spell. "It just takes time for people like us. I would have waited a lifetime, you know. Now we have the rest of our lives for the two of us."

She took a deep breath and stopped walking.

"What is it?" he asked, pausing in front of her. She saw his forehead crease in concern. She was pretty sure he could tell that she had something on her mind. He had more than likely known something was up for a while, but he had never asked, once again illustrating his neverending patience with her.

She smiled at him in an attempt to quell his worry. "I wasn't sure when to tell you."

"Tell me what, Juliette."

"What you just said ... about the two of us." She paused, unsure of what his reaction would be. "How would you feel about it being the ... three of us?"

It took a minute. For a few seconds, Avery looked completely clueless. It took all she could do not to laugh when his eyes got wide and the metaphorical lightbulb went off and he realized what she was telling him. "You're pregnant?"

She bit her bottom lip and nodded at him as he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"You're sure?"

She nodded again with confirmation. "I took six tests last week, just to be certain. They were all positive. So ... yeah. We're having a baby."

The joyful laughter that came from deep inside of him as he lifted her up into his arms was a sound that Juliette committed to memory. She wanted to always remember that moment. As the waves crashed around their feet, soaking the hem of her dress, he kissed her deeply and she knew that no matter what came their way in the future, they would survive it together.

All three of them.

* * *

The End! Hope you enjoyed and let me know what you thought!


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